Encounters in Medjugorje

Journalists of radio station “Mir” Medjugorje regularly invite pilgrims who come to Medjugorje to witness about their apparitions. Here, we will bring some of those experiences.

Davor Terzic, musician and composer from Rovinj came with his wife Vesna to Medjugorje. Davor is very much present at Croatian music scene and he is regularly participating at every festival of spiritual music. “We visited other Croatian shrines like Marija Bistrica and Vepric, and here we are in Medjugorje, for seventh, eighth time. We try to have a little bit time for ourselves every year. Our work is related to music, we make our living from that. We come here to thank God for everything he has given us in the previous year. This is where we feel fulfilled.”

The Association “I hear, I believe, I see” from Zagreb has organised study trip and pilgrimage for young people and disabled students. While they were in Medjugorje they visited prayer places and participated in the evening prayer programme.

The blind student from Prelog, Martina Bilic, said that greatest challenge for her was to climb Apparition Hill. “This was always beautiful experience for me, it is physical effort, but one can feel spiritual peace and sacrifice that has purpose.”

Andrea Bianco, 41 years old pilgrim from Bolzano, little town on the north of Italy, shared his experience with us. As a sophomore student he was in a serious car accident and lost his sight on that occasion. He believes that he survived thanks to God’s providence. He is married and has four children. He is making rosary beads together with his wife and gives those to pilgrims, but he is also organising pilgrimages to Medjugorje. “My young days were like of the average young person at that time. I had it all, girlfriend, money, I was studying. I did not worry about spirituality too much. It was all about entertainment. Suddenly, my life was changed over the night. One day, I was on my way back home, after having a field trip with my girlfriend, I wanted to overtake a truck that hit us and threw us to a tree on the other side. My girlfriend was fine, but I was severely hurt. I was taken by helicopter to the hospital in Bolzano. It was Holy Thursday, and they did not have enough staff. I was sent to the hospital in Verona and I had surgery there. My doctor was young, new doctor who had lost his brother in a car accident as well. He did the surgery and I was in coma for twenty days. I had one hematoma that was pressing my eye nerves and that is how I lost my sight.” What followed was the period of recovery when he went from hospital to hospital. It was in that time that he welt urge to go to sacrament of reconciliation. Soon afterwards he received the sacrament of Holy Confirmation that he had not received before. Three years afterwards he and his girlfriend Lara got married. He said how he was listening stories about Medjugorje for years that were both positive and negative. He came on his first pilgrimage in 1998, and fruits of that pilgrimage followed afterwards. “This is where we can feel heaven, immense grace from our Heavenly Mother. We are returning home renewed, different and we are prepared to return to this place of grace”, said Andrea who comes regularly to Medjugorje twice a year since that time.

Fr. Loky Flanagan, Irish missionary in Malawi, Africa, shared his experience as well. He was introduced to Medjugorje through charity association “Mary’s Meals” that is fruits of Medjugorje and feeds every single day around 400,000 children in Africa. He came to Medjugorje in 2003, and participated at the retreat for priests and found that an incredible spiritual experience. “Medjugorje helped me to have faith and trust in God, it encourages me to continue working as a priest. I have more peace. Meeting people and confessions help me a lot. I would not say that I am constantly involved in the events in Medjugorje, but I do have a book with Our Lady’s messages”, said Fr. Loky who plans to come to Medjugorje next year as well.